Portraits in Oils by Valorie Snyder

2008-08-20T15:33:00.000-07:00

" Marcus" oils, 20 x 24.

Mark commissioned this portrait as part of his legacy to his grandchildren. In creating the painting, I wanted to tell his grandchildren a bit of his life story. One of his interesting hobbies is building historically accurate model ships in wood. He knows the history of each ship he builds, along with a name and purpose of every part on it. (I told him that he has a great deal more patience in building his ships than I did in painting this one! He was happy to allow me to simply suggest the details he labored so hard to create.).

Mark enjoys travel, which inspired the map in the background. He also loves the old west and is a real maverick at heart, leading to his choice of the cowboy hat and bollo tie. I created a rather nostalgic mood with hazy lighting, as he reflects on his rich and full life.

Lifelong Friends

2008-03-25T15:10:00.000-07:00

This family of lively boys, each so different in personality, became special to me. I enjoyed watching them grow as I did their portraits over a period of several years.

These drawings were all done in sepia colored pencil on a rough textured board. Each is 25" high by 16" wide. The boys' mother commissioned the portrait of each son, Tommy, Sam, and Jack, when he turned 3 years old.

Click on the pictures to see the texture of the board.

Why Paint People?

2008-02-26T17:48:00.000-08:00

"Margaret" 18 x 24

People have always fascinated me; alike in so many ways, yet each one special and unique.

Although getting the likeness is an understood prerequisite in portrait painting, I want to go deeper to capture the beautiful uniqueness of each person—the heart and personality. This is so much more than painting the eyes, nose and mouth accurately. It’s about seeing the special qualities that God loves about that person, how he or she is uniquely created in His Image and deeply loved by Him.

Doing that takes time. I prefer to take time to know my subject and discover the beauty of this unique human being, one of a kind in the world. Sometimes this is an unconscious process. One model shared with me after posing for a practice painting session, “You painted what I was feeling.” Another subject, Margaret, remarked, “ I’ve never liked the way I look in photographs. You painted me the way I see myself.” This is success to me.

As a result of taking time to get to know my subjects, they often become lifelong friends. These friendships are deepened when I'm asked to paint other family members and to capture their children at the important milestones in their lives. It is rewarding to me to create a family memorial for each new friend--a treasured legacy for generations to come.